I seem to do a much better job of friendship through a computer or letters than I do in person. Maybe because all my friendships have been a less-than instant connection. Which is why I think I probably had a draw with Bethany in Katie Ganshert's debut novel, Wildflowers from Winter.
Friendship remains a theme throughout Katie's book and one so many of us can relate too, wouldn't you agree?
Because no matter what, we all have had at least one dear and good friend that has changed our world completely for the better. And maybe you've been blessed with more than one. I believe I have.
Thus the reason for my post today. I want to introduce you to a friend. You probably have heard of her. You might have read her blog. But I'm so thrilled to introduce you to her today. And with the wonders of modern technology, I have that chance below. I won't make this a long post, because I'd love if you were to join in the conversation below. (keep reading and watching... ;-)
Can I make a confession?
I had never heard of Panera until I started Tweeting. Literally, I'm not trying to be funny. And thus this phenomenon started that has lasted like Starbucks (and makes me hungry in the process. ;-)
Oh, I have one other comment for you. Katie's debut novel? We want to give it to one of my readers today. A beautiful ARC for a commenter today, so be sure and answer Katie's question and remember the wonderful friends you have blessed with!
Contest is only open in the U.S. and void where prohibited. Chances of winning are based on the number of entries and winner is draw from a non-biased third party- Random.org. I am not responsible for any lost or damaged items for said prize.
**Winner will be announced next Friday**
Friday's note!
The winner of JoAnn Durgin's Twin Hearts is...
Sheri Salatin!
Be watching your email. ;-)
Yes, I had a best friend growing up! Laura...we were even college roommates, and yes, we're still best friends! I've had a lot of other besties come along since then, but Laura definitely has the longest history. Oh the fun...
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I looove Panera. And...I always tell people awesome things happen to me at Panera. Like, once an employee brought me a strawberry smoothie to taste test. Another time, an employee randomly took to refilling my coffee for me. Another time, I saw a guy who looked exactly like Captain Sully - that guy who landed a plane in the Hudson. :) I like to get hazelnut coffee...bagel choice is dependent on my mood. :) I can spend hours there writing (and consuming way too much caffeine).
I looooved Wildflowers from Winter. Casey, you don't need to include me in the drawing since I've already got it.
Fun vlog, Katie. Love stopping by here, as always, Casey. Happy Easter to both of you!
How cool that you are still so close with your best friend growing up!
DeleteI need to start hanging out with you at Panera. Maybe good stuff will start happening to me, too!
Definitely sounds like Melissa is the one to go to Panera with. ;-)
DeleteLove your BFF story, Melissa. Once in a while God drops a great one in our lap, doesn't He? I love that!
Well...to answer the Panera question I've never heard of it and have never been there so I can't tell you what I get from Panera! I can say, I do not like coffee and I drink hot tea. Spiced Chai is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteYes, I had a best friend since second grade. I moved to a new school during my second grade and Diana picked up my crayons that I had dropped on the floor. I was so shy back then. I started to cry and she came over and helped me out. We stayed friends through out our entire school life and had many sleep overs and had good crazy fun. After graduation we went our separate ways. Through the years we reconnected once. It was short in lasting. Then about 4 years ago her Father died and she came back from Arizona (I live in Indiana where we grew up) for his funeral. I went to her Father's funeral and was able to meet her husband and son. We had a mini reunion that day and vowed to stay in touch. We did up until maybe a year ago. I need to reconnect through FB again! I have given up FB for lent so I don't know what is going on in anyone's life!
I would love to win a copy of your debut book, Wildflowers from Winter.
Blessings! He Is Risen!
Judy
sweetpea.judy(at)yahoo(dot)com
Hi Judy! I can't believe you've never been to Panera! I hear their Chai tea is wonderful!
DeleteI admire you for giving up Facebook for Lent. Isn't it crazy how "in touch" we can stay with people there??
I loved that your friend took a scared and shy little girl who was so lost and wasn't afraid to step up and be a friend. I love that. :-)
DeleteI was going to come back later to comment and not be first because I want to win this book! But I'll go ahead and jump in.
ReplyDeleteI did have a best friend growing up, but after high school we lost touch . . . The interesting thing is that I had another best friend for the past twenty years (Nancy), who shared so many personality traits and quirks with my best friend from high school it was uncanny. Nancy is now with the Lord (after bravely battling breast cancer). She greatly impacted my life, and I've written about her often on my blog . . . And then after Nancy left us, my old friend from high school found me again through Facebook :)
Oh--and we all love Panera. (Crunchy apple cinnamon bagel with walnut cream cheese--Yum!)
Have a great weekend, Casey and Katie! Blessings!
Hi Renee! Oh my - the crunchy apple cinnamon! That one is amazing! I haven't had it in forever!
DeleteYour story really struck a chord with me, Renee. So sorry you lost your friend. She sounds like she was a pretty awesome lady.
I agree with Katie, Renee. Your story is one I think is so often repeated in our sin-torn world right now, but to have the blessed impact of a friend like your Nancy on your life, I know will never leave you unchanged. :)
DeleteSo good to be here, Casey! Happy Good Friday everyone! One of the most profound, life-changing events in all of history. We have SO much to celebrate!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE having you on my blog, Katie. Anytime. Seriously. Anytime.
DeleteOur closest Panera is about 30 minutes away, so sadly I have never been there b/c I can chat at Dunkin Donuts 10 minutes away! LOL
ReplyDeleteI did have a best friend like you're talking about and we mostly say "hi" once in a while on facebook. Sadly. Sigh. I moved 6 hours away to college and now 4 hours away to live and she stayed in our hometown. We always say we'll get together when I come home but we never do.:(
I don't know if I've ever been to Dunkin Doughnuts. Crazy, I know.
DeleteI have a friend like that who lives here! We're always saying we need to get together. But alas, life is so crazy we never do.
I know how many of those things can happen, Jessica. I was just telling my dear friend the other day that as we get older priorities seem to change. Hopefully true friends never will.
DeleteI love Panera but live over 100 miles from one . My daughter, daughter-in-law and four young grandchildren meet there for lunch each November and spend the rest of the day together shopping. Yes, I had a best friend/friends growing up. One of them passed away from cancer last year. The other two and I communicate infrequently and rarely see each other.
ReplyDeleteHi Nancy! You should petition to have a Panera built next door. :)
DeleteSorry to hear you lost your friend to cancer. Cannot wait until Jesus comes and the new heavens and earth come and there will be no more cancer.
Katie, I completely echo your comment. It's only a matter of time before Jesus makes all things new. And we can reconnect with those old friends who have gone before us.
DeleteWell, two gorgeous blondes in one place :) Hi Casey and Katie!!
ReplyDeleteSo there is no Panera in Oz so I can't answer that one but yes, I do have a friend whom I met in my last year of primary school (Grade 6 - not sure how that translates for you!), we went through high school together, then the same Arts/Law degree at Uni for 5 years and have worked together at the same law firm for 17 years!! We don't socialize a lot together anymore as we are both busy with our families but we chat every week at work which is great :)
Well, hello, mate! Fun to see you here, Rel!
DeleteIt's good to have a good friend at work!
I love that you work with your childhood friend! Love that.
DeleteAhhh Panera... Too many choices really. Traditionally I love a mocha and an Asiago Cheese bagel with Sundried Tomato cream cheese. But, there are days when the Cinnamon crunch bagel may be calling my name. However, if I'm really hungry, I might throw in one of those breakfast souffles with the spinach in it. Soooo good. And orange juice. They have the best orange juice.
ReplyDeleteAs for the best friend... I suppose I did have one growing up. But I wouldn't say it was the healthiest relationship because she was pretty bossy and I went along with whatever SHE wanted most of the time. We don't live to far away these days, but we've certainly drifted... And despite a couple of attempts to revive a friendship, it's just probably not going to happen. To be honest, I don't think I would want it to... She's got this amazing way of making a person feel pretty cruddy about themselves. Lol. So I am super thankful for the amazing Christian girlfriends I have now!!!
Thanks for making a pregnant girl hungry for Panera, especially when I live 50 miles away from the closest one!!! :)
Sounds like Panera needs to be on my next stop the next time I get near enough to throw a rock at one. :)
DeleteHaving friends can be such a give and take. And to be blessed with Christian friends now, what a gift!
I used to ALWAYS get the sun dried tomato cream cheese, but they don't have it anymore! The onion and chive is pretty dang good though.
DeleteSorry for the craving!! Make the hubs take a road trip. ;)
Fun post!!
ReplyDeleteSo, I don't think we have a Panera here...if we do, I don't know where it is. So I usually meet up with friends at Starbucks. I don't like tea or coffee...but their double chocolately chip drink and strawberries and creme drink are my favs (though not so good for you...)!
I had a lot of close friends growing up, but one of the best was Megan. We met in 5th grade and were close all through high school and college. She even lived with me and my family during her last year of nursing school because her family moved to Virginia. She was with me during the hardest year of my life, when my mom died (was even in the room when it happened). We definitely share a bond and I don't think I would have made it through that year without her there, right down the hallway. She moved about 7 years ago across the country, but we made a pact to see each other at least once a year, and so far have stuck with that! We don't get to talk a whole lot, but when we do, we pick right back up where we left off. I love her like a sister. :D
What a story, Lindsay. The kind of friends that make our world feel right. I love it.
DeleteI know when I first met new friend Amber Stokes, it's like we already knew each other. Amazing. I loved it. I can't wait to see her again!
That's totally how I am with my old BFF. If we saw each other, things would be great. Like nothing changed.
DeleteI've eaten at Panera, but can't say it's my favorite place. I usually get the chicken wild rice when I do go with a friend.
ReplyDeleteMy best friend is my first cousin. We've kept in touch since my Jr. year in high school. We got together with them as well. Now we email, phone or do FB.
Your book entices me because of the topic, but also a flower in winter. Just does not happen here in MN. Please enter me.
desertrose5173 at gmail dot com
Linda, if you get the chance to get your hands on Katie's book, don't hesitate to pick it up. So, so good. I think the friendship weaved through the entire book will touch you.
DeleteLinda, how very cool that your best friend is your cousin!
DeleteWoohoo! So great to see you here on Casey's blog! I think we ALL want to be Casey's big sisters. :D
ReplyDeletePanera...we have got to go together.
I usually get iced tea and an orange scone. If I'm there for lunch it's the French Onion soup and half a sandwich...with iced tea and an orange scone... :D
I did have a best friend growing up, and sadly we lost touch when college came about. That was one of the hardest lessons for me, learning that friendships come and go, and that there are seasons to those friendships. Like Casey, it makes me cherish the good friends I have now.
Erica, you and Katie can take top pick. So many of my friends would make fantastic big sisters. ;-)
DeleteI have seasons for friends too and I think the older I get, the more I appreciate the season I am in.
Yep - it was a hard lesson for me too. So many seasons in life. What's cool is when a good friend comes back in a later season.
DeleteBest friend from growing up still lives in my home town and we stay in touch. Still laugh about our antics and adventures.
ReplyDeleteI would love to wind Wildflowers From Winter!
I love that! The one thing I always wanted was to live close to my BFF, but since we don't, we stay close with letters and emails.
DeleteI have a best friend, and we've been best friends since we were in high school. We've been through many ups and downs together. It's quite a journey when I look back at it.
ReplyDeleteLove the Panera hot chocolate in a big mug with whipped cream on top. I'm also very fond of their blueberry scones.
One of the better memories I have is spending a week with my BF and we learned so much about each other. Some good, some bad. But I think we definitely grew closer. And I still love her. And she still loves me. There has to be something said for that. ;-)
DeleteI have never been to Panera. We don't have one in my small country town.
ReplyDeleteYes I did have a best friend growing up and YES we are still best friends to this day. The awesome thing is that even though we are now over 23 hours (driving) away from each other, we still are able to pick up exactly where we left off. It's always as if no time has past.
One of the greatest joys this Christmas was watching our daughters (only 2 weeks a part and now both 4) play together. If only they could be as close in heart as we are.
Loved the video!! :)
Sheri.salatin(at)gmail.com
Oh! If your little girls can become best friends just like you and your friend, Sheri. What a legacy that would be. My mom's best friend has become like my aunt and I love my cousin Becca especially. Something special started by our parents.
DeleteI have never heard of panera. I have never really had a best friend even. I have had friends but not someone who I would call a best friend. Thanks for the giveaway.Please enter me. Tore923@aol.com
ReplyDeleteMmm . . . Panera. At breakfast time I like to get the Asiago cheese bagel, and at lunch the broccoli cheddar soup and/or Italian cibatta sandwich. (Spell check doesn't like Italian words.) The best part is that they have Wild Cherry Pepsi in their soda fountain. Nothing beats cherry soda from the fountain. Their chai is great too.
ReplyDeleteMy best friend growing up was my next door neighbor, and we were like sisters--and fought like it. We would spend hours concocting stories that we would then act out (but the concocting took longer than the acting, so then we'd swap roles and start over).
We do still see each other occasionally and keep in touch through the miracle of Facebook. We couldn't have turned out more differently, but our shared history somehow makes our differences unimportant.
And yes please to the giveaway. bookumdookum(at)hotmail(dot)com
Yes I had a best friend growing up, and we're still best friends today. We did everything together. Sadly, we don't get to talk as much as we like, but we can always pick right up and talk like no time has gone by.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what I'd get at Panera because I have no clue what it is. We don't have one where I live.
Hi Casey! Hi Katie!
ReplyDeleteMy sister has been my best friend forever. Sure, we fought like maniacs when we were young, but we got over it. :)
Panera is...yummy. I get a medium coffee and I pour hot water, skim milk, a Splenda and some cinnamon in it. It's an odd combo, yet it works. :)
Hi Katie. I would love to win your book Thanks for the contest.
ReplyDeleteMaxie ( mac262@me.com )
Panera...Hmm...Hard choice. Pretty much anything would be great:)
ReplyDeleteAnd as for my best friend growing up...Kelly. She passed away from Cystic Fibrosis a few years ago. But she did more in 25 years of life than many people do in a lifetime.
We don't have Panera out here but we did when we lived in Florida and enjoyed going to eat there. It was a great networking site. I would love to win this book. Beautiful cover.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Jo
ladijo40(at)aol(dot)com
As I am 70 now but still love to read all the time, I look around and seem to loose a friend really often now. That happens when you get really "ole" as my great grand children tell me about everything. I would love to win this book. ybutler@oppcatv.com
ReplyDeleteI am not a huge fan of Panera. Sorry! I have tried it a number of time.....gimme McAllister's anyday! I have the most amazing best friend! We have been best friends since 2nd grade, that's 34 years!! We have been thru SO much together: childbirth, death, weddings, happy times, sad times, etc. I am the most blessed person in the world to have such an awesome best friend!
ReplyDeletenancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
I love panera they have other places around me that are so good but if I could I would eat there more then I do
ReplyDeletetiggeruo@gmail.com
You know Panera is one of my favorite places to escape and write. I'd love the copy of Katie's book so i can read and help spread the word. So excited for her! Debut novels are such fun. Can't wait until it's yours, Casey!
ReplyDeleteI love Panera, would love to spend some time writing there with a French Toast bagel and a hot tea.
ReplyDeleteI became a Christian in high school and my friendships changed at that point. So my childhood best friends are acquaintances but I find I no longer share the same connection with them. Many of my college buddies, I'm still close with though.
Sadly, I live entirely too far from Panera to even know what I would get, like probably 200 miles from one. There is this nice little coffee shop in town, though. It's called Connie's and their white chocolate raspberry scones are to die for!
ReplyDeleteAnd I did have an awesome best friend in high school. So many great memories! We went to college together, but kind of grew apart as we explored our own interests. We still see each other occasionally, and if we lived closer, I have no doubt we'd be best friends again. But living 600 miles apart from each other just makes it too hard to keep up.
And I would love a chance to win Wildflowers from Winter. :-)
Panera is awesome! I think I'll go there for lunch today! Ha! I love their strawberry smoothie and probably all of their other choices...I just haven't tried them all yet!
ReplyDeleteI had one best friend all too briefly. We spent one year of high school as buddies before she moved far away. I'll never forget her.
This book sounds great!
thanks for chance to win
ReplyDeleteABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com
Oh, you cutie! My favorite Panera drink is absolutely CHAI TEA LATTE. Panera is over an hour in either of two directions, so I usually get TWO for me to enjoy, one right after the other. My favorite bagel is plain, I know, but I doctor it up. I have them run it through the toaster twice, and then go over to the coffee bar and add butter, cinnamon with a tiny bit of sugar, and nutmeg. It's the best! I do like the walnut cream cheese spread, but keep going back to my own "make breakfast at home" style.
ReplyDeleteYes, I have a friend I met when I was fifteen. Her mother took care of my little brother at the time. Several years back, before all of the scanning at the airport, I took my very first alone trip traveling through O'Hare to Houston, and I lived to tell about it! I had my very own knife to cut my apple on the way back ~*~ they would have abscounded with it today! So, because spelling doesn't like how I did it, I looked the word up and look what I found!
"abscound (verb) : Combination of 'abscond' and 'scoundrel' - the word indicates not only the action of the person absconding but also his character. Mr. Smith abscounded with his ill-gotten gains."
(Wonder what they do with all the goodies collected in that throw-away barrel!)
We lost each other and then I found her through our high school site, sent her a card, and was invited to come and spend a week with her. It was like we had never been apart. New experience: she took me to this open air restaurant the night before I came home and treated me to a "What do you think you have just eaten?" delicacy that I said tasted sort of like chicken, but come to find out originally had razor sharp teeth and beady little eyes. Put your hands together at the wrists and open and close your hands. There you've got the picture!
We have talked together about her coming to visit now that we live in Missouri! We are also Facebook friends.
Loved your post and the up close and personal greeting! Kathleen
(Also, loved the ARC I reviewed and would love to have a final copy!) Come over and visit my review: http://lanehillhouse.blogspot.com/2012/03/best-of-2012-wildflowers-from-winter-by.html
lanehillhouse[at]centurylink[dot]net